


Those Who Suffer

by KogamiShizu



Category: Original Work
Genre: Complete, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Short One Shot, Suffering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 14:05:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4394750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KogamiShizu/pseuds/KogamiShizu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which severe physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or unnatural disasters, accidents, or military combat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Who Suffer

The night sky lit up with bright colors, the ear-shattering boom echoed through the large field. It was New Year's Eve night, and everyone in Clarinths was attending the large display of fireworks, including the infamous Shion Twins.  
  
"Gah," Akira leaned back on the blanket that was spread out for her to rest on. "Why do I have to be here? I should be out looking for criminals and murder."  
  
Akio, Akira's twin brother, sighed. "It's New Year's Eve, Aki, we deserve a break. Besides, the Sutcliffe family were nice enough to invite us out here, be polite."  
  
The said man, John Sutcliffe, turned his head and smiled. "Fireworks are fun, don't you think so Kirimi?" The man in glasses asked his daughter, even though she couldn't reply with her waiting in anticapation for the fireworks.  
  
"Fine," Akira groaned. "but why did Jerk-head have to come?"  
  
"Jerk-head is right here, and he can hear you." Katsumoto Hideki, the guy's real name, retorted from his own blanket, besides Tanaka Alice.  
  
"That's the point," Akira snapped back.  
  
"Hey Hideki," Adam, Alice's nephew attending the event, interrupted the usual bickering between the two teens. "Catch," He threw a bottle of water to the younger Yatogami, who caught with ease.  
  
"The team is all here because Alice decided to make this night special for the two of you." Hideki told Akira, who was in the process of chugging the water. "It's the first time you and Akio are spending New Year's with us, might as well invite everybody."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Akira went back to lie down, there was still an hour and a half until midnight, and she was going to sleep while she could.  
  
It's only been a few months since Akira rejoined the military at the age of twelve. Well, it was more of the Marine course, but it was part of the military. Almost three months since Akio and herself burned down the faculty on October 15th, destroying the memories along with it.  
  
The images of that night the twins being experimented, still haunted her sleepless nights. The date carved into her pocket watch mocked her, reminding her every time she checked the time, that she was a failure. If that wasn't enough, her fake right eye smacked her into reality, the pain of her failure was real and physical.  
  
Every once in a while, Akira will wake up in a bad mood, and for the day, she won't do anything but stay in bed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, as Keith and Xerxes like to call it. Most common to anyone who lost a limb one way or another; even more, it's found in every soldier who's ever had to "dirty" his hands in the midst of war. Apparently, after Akira tried to rescue a little girl from a group of mafia by herself, leading to the loss of her right eye and the military's trusts, she was diagnosed with PTSD not a moment later.  
  
When she tried asking Izuru Kamukura for a cure, he plainly said "There isn't one." Of course, Akira didn't know that, she was only eleven at the time. As the year went by recovering from robotic surgery, she realized it was true. People cannot be cured from PTSD, they get to learn how to live with it.  
  
"Hey, Aki," Hideki threw a cookie at her. "You and me, gotta go grab some more food."  
  
"Go by yourself, you lazy hog." Akira rolled back over, only to flinch at the dark aura around a certain sniper.  
  
"Akira," Xenia warned, and it was all it took for Akira to jump up and join the red haired teen.  
  
"It's not that bad," Hideki laughed at Akira's fear of the blonde.  
  
"Then why don't you ask someone else to help," Akira glared at her "elder".  
  
"Calm down, it wasn't my idea." The two made it to the stalls where food was being sold to the civilians and soldiers attending the event. "Ali-chan thought it would be a good idea for us to "bond", as she put it. I'm sure if you have a problem, you can take it up with her."  
  
"And another thing," Akira stocked his box up with chips. "Since when do you refer to Alice as Ali-chan?"  
  
"We're not in public, so I'm allowed to call her by her nick name." Hideki answered, filling his own box with different types of beers and sodas.  
  
Akira rolled her blue eyes, and nearly jumped when another firework went off. Hideki laughed of course, and Akira growled in annoyance as the two continued to gather more food.  
  
It was on their way back to the group when Akira heard it, the laughing of young teenagers around the corner of a stall. Akira peeked around and eavesdropped on their conversation, as Hideki followed his example, also curious.  
  
"You should have seen that guy's face," one of the teenage boys with brown hair laughed. "Priceless."  
  
"He looked like he just witnessed a murder," The other slapped his knee, this one had black hair.  
  
"Should have known, the military's nothing but a bunch of cowards."  
  
Akira frowned, trying to recall the soldier they were gossiping about. Hiding behind a stall, there was a man covering his ears and shaking tremendously. He, like most soldiers fresh from the war, were terrified of the large noises cause by the fireworks.  
  
"I bet the War was nothing but a hoax—" The black haired teenager was cut off with a punch to the face by a shorter kid.  
  
The guy fell down as the assaulter stepped into his view. A short blue haired kid with her hair tied back into a braid, black attire minus the bright blue hoodie on her shoulders.  
  
Hideki stared in awe as his childhood raced forward without a thought, nearly knocking the poor gossiper out from her fist.  
  
"It's called PTSD, you uncultured swine." Akira snapped, her hands clenching into fists.  
  
"What?" The brunette kid sneered. "Who cares about whatever TSPD is."  
  
"PTSD," Akira growled. "It's a disorder to anyone who has come into contact with a traumatic event in their life."  
  
"So just cure it," The dense teenager sat up, holding his bruised cheek.  
  
"If there was, don't you think I would have cured myself by now? Or any other soldier in the military? Huh?!" The two boys stepped back nervously as the tiny girl advanced forward threateningly. "PTSD has no cure, we get to live with it for the rest of our lives, and you have the audacity to laugh at those who suffer?"  
  
"We're sorry!" The boys screamed as Akira flew forward and proceeded to pound her fists into their faces. Hideki could only sigh from the background, turning back to join the group with, or without Akira.  
  
A half hour later Akira finally came back, much to the worry of Akio.  
  
"Where were you?" The older sibling asked.  
  
"Taking care of business." Akira answered as she set her box of food down for everyone to reach.  
  
"Hideki told us what happened," Xenia said as she grabbed a hot dog.  
  
"Did he now?" Akira glanced at the said person. "Did he also mention he did nothing to help me beat up the brats?"  
  
"I'm older than you, I don't participate in trivial matters."  
  
"Trivial, he says." Akira scoffed, glaring down at her own hands. "I don't get it,"  
  
Some of the adults turned their heads towards the younger Shion twin. "Don't get what, Aki?" Akio asked.  
  
"I don't get how you guys deal with it, the PTSD I mean." As soon as the words were out, the soldiers around him looked down in sadness. "I try to live it, sure, but. . .I don't get how you guys still manage to smile and laugh like everything's okay."  
  
"Simple, they're not." Izuru answered gruffly. "We hide what we feel inside so others don't see our weaknesses. We hide what went on in the battlefield because we don't want others to know the same horror we experienced. Sure, we've killed a lot of people and ruined a lot of lives for the enemies, but it was for the safety of our country and families, and I'd gladly put on the uniform again if that meant I could protect the people I care about."  
  
Akira stared at her superior in surprise. In the year or so she's known the man, not once has he ever said anything meaningful and significant.  
  
"It helps when you have a family who understands," John added as he brought his wife and Kirimi, his daughter, closer to him. "They can help bring a smile to your dead face and brighten your day just a little bit more. Maybe they won't understand completely, but families are there to help you, you just gotta know how to ask."  
  
"If family doesn't work, there's always us, who have really experienced similar traumatic events." Sage Klein added, smiling at the twins. "If you have questions or just want to talk about your PTSD, we're always here. Don't forget that."  
  
The fireworks seemed less like meaningless explosions in the sky, and more like colorful lights that seemed to brighten Akira's mood just a little. "I suppose," Akira looked at her brother and grinned, punching her brother's chest playfully with bruised knuckles. "We should give the Old Man and Luke a call soon, then huh? Wish them Happy New Years."  
  
"Yeah," Akio agreed.  
  
Towards midnight, the Shion Twins counted along with their group of misfits as the time reached closer to twelve o'clock. Maybe there isn't a cure for PTSD, but there sure is remedy to making the pain go away momentarily, and it's called family.

 

* * *

 


End file.
